Extender system for telecommunications enclosures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11726284-B2
Application number	US-202017603112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2020
Priority date	Apr 12, 2019
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A telecommunications enclosure extender couples a first telecommunications enclosure to a second telecommunications enclosure. The extender has enlarged heads that mount at seal arrangement mounting locations of the first and second telecommunications enclosures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A telecommunications enclosure extender for coupling a first telecommunications enclosure to a second telecommunications enclosure, the first and second telecommunications enclosures respectively including first and second cable sealing arrangement mounting locations for mounting cable sealing arrangements, the telecommunications enclosure extender comprising:
an extender body having first and second opposite ends, the extender body having an internal fiber passage extending through the extender body from the first end to the second end, the extender body including an enlarged first sealing head positioned adjacent the first end, the enlarged first sealing head being configured to mount at the first cable sealing arrangement mounting location, the extender body including an enlarged second sealing head positioned adjacent the second end, the enlarged second sealing head being configured to mount at the second cable sealing arrangement mounting location, the extender body also including an intermediate section between the enlarged first and second sealing heads, the intermediate section having a reduced outer profile as compared to the enlarged first and second sealing heads, wherein a perimeter sealing material, that is softer than an extender body material, is mounted to the enlarged first and second sealing heads.

2. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 1 , wherein the first and second telecommunications enclosures each include a re-enterable enclosure housing having a cover that mounts to a base, wherein the covers are removable from the bases to allow access to interiors of the enclosure housings, and wherein the first enlarged sealing head mounts between the cover and the base of the first telecommunications enclosure and the second enlarged sealing head mounts between the cover and the base of the second telecommunications enclosure.

3. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged first and second sealing heads have outer profiles which are the same.

4. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged first and second sealing heads have different outer profiles.

5. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 2 , wherein the base and the cover of the first telecommunications enclosure housing cooperate to define a first inner profile that matches an outer profile of the enlarged first sealing head, and wherein the base and the cover of the second telecommunications enclosure cooperate to define a second inner profile that matches an outer profile of the enlarged second sealing head.

6. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 5 , wherein the first and second inner profiles have the same size and shape.

7. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 1 , wherein the extender body defines a central axis that extends between the first and second ends, wherein the extender body has a molded plastic construction, wherein the enlarged first and second sealing heads define sealing perimeters that extend around the central axis, and wherein the perimeter sealing material extends about the sealing perimeters.

8. The telecommunications enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the perimeter sealing material is positioned radially outside the enlarged sealing heads.

9. The telecommunications enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the enlarged sealing heads define perimeter channels that extend around the central axis for receiving the perimeter sealing material.

10. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 9 , wherein the extender body includes first and second pieces that meet at longitudinal seams on opposite sides of the fiber passage, wherein the first and second pieces each extend from the first end to the second end of the extender body, wherein the first and second pieces each define at least a portion of the enlarged first sealing head and the enlarged second sealing head, and wherein the first and second pieces can be separated from one another to allow access to the fiber passage and to provide a wrap-around configuration with respect to optical fibers routed through the extender body.

11. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 10 , further comprising longitudinal seam seals positioned along the longitudinal seams for sealing between the first and second pieces, wherein the longitudinal seam seals contact the perimeter sealing material surrounding the enlarged first and second sealing heads when the enclosure extender is mounted between the first and second telecommunications enclosures.

12. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 11 , wherein the enclosure extender defines longitudinal channels for containing the longitudinal seam seals, and wherein the enclosure extender defines sealing material openings that provide communication between the longitudinal channels and the perimeter channels for providing contact between the longitudinal seam seals and the perimeter sealing material.

13. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 12 , wherein the first and second pieces are coupled together by fasteners or a snap-fit connection.

14. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 1 , wherein the first and second telecommunications enclosures each define a housing outer transverse cross-sectional profile defining a housing transverse cross-sectional area, wherein the enlarged first and second sealing heads each define a sealing head outer cross-sectional profile defining a head transverse cross-sectional area, and wherein each of the head cross-sectional areas is at least 75 percent as large as the corresponding housing transverse cross-sectional area.

15. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged first sealing head is configured to be connected to the first telecommunications enclosure at first and second connection interfaces located at axially opposite sides of the enlarged first sealing head, and wherein the enlarged second sealing head is configured to be connected to the second telecommunications enclosure at third and fourth connection interfaces located at axially opposite sides of the enlarged second sealing head.

16. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 15 , wherein the first and second connection interfaces each include two fastening points, and wherein the third and fourth connection interfaces each include two fastening points.

17. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 16 , wherein each of the fastening points includes an opening for receiving a fastener.

18. The telecommunications enclosure extender of claim 7 , wherein the perimeter sealing material is a gel.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Geens Johan

Classifications

• G02B6/44465 Primary

  Seals · CPC title

• G02B6/4445 Primary

  Divided base plates · CPC title

• G02B6/4448

  Electro-optic · CPC title